So, destiny has led you to Vancouver? Amazing! Congratulations! Vancouver is an amazing place. But, like any other place in the world, it will have its pros and cons. Not everything about the place is great, and this is absolutely ok. Today, we have gathered to discuss all the pros and cons of moving to Vancouver. Moving to Canada has multiple sides to it. You need to keep all of them in mind.

Vancouver – to move or not to move?

Hopefully, this will shed some light on the actual ‘quality’ of the place. The intended purpose is not to drive you away from moving there or to convince you to do so. It is just intended to introduce you to some of the corners of Vancouver that you would normally not know about. To simplify, this article is meant to somewhat prepare you for everything you should know when moving to Vancouver. So, without further ado, let’s dig in!

Moving to Vancouver – Pros

Let us not talk about the common facts of Vancouver. I mean those facts that Wikipedia bluntly shares with you. Let us talk about those hidden little gems that you should consider when preparing yourself for living in Vancouver. Not only that, hopefully, you will know what type of clothing you will primarily need, how much money you will be spending and where, and where you will be spending most of your free time. If you can afford any.

Things to do

First off, I am an outdoor person. So as one outdoor person to another, Vancouver is a mecca for outdoorsy people.There is an abundance of things you can do outside, and Vancouver can facilitate all of them. To begin with, the hiking opportunities are endless. The beauty of the area and the ease of access it provides will be your favorite aspects of your new home. So, when moving to Vancouver make sure to prep some hiking gear.

Vancouver is very outdoor friendly.

Second, the access to the beach is a gorgeous alternative to hiking. If you want to kick it back, grab a cup of coffee and just enjoy the sound of water – Vancouver has you covered. So, between hiking and talking a nice relaxing walk by the river you already have two amazing outdoor activities you can indulge in.

Skiing?

Two of the world-renowned skiing destinations are just around the corner from Vancouver. When we say just around the corner, you should expect a two-hour drive, which is nothing compared to what you get from it. Whistler Village and Blackcomb are alternatives if you are not a huge fan of the Canadian freeze. These places have the best possible climate you can hope for.

Speaking of climate

If you wish to know what type of climate to prepare for, you are in for a bumpy ride. Rarely does it really get below zero, so when moving to Vancouver winter clothes should not take much of a priority. The summers, on the other hand, might get hot ranging from 25 to 35 degrees Celsius.

A multi-cultural place

One of the pros that I would like to point out is the fact that Vancouver is a very multi-cultural place. There are immense Asian populations, mostly located in Richmond (part of the Vancouver area). Overall, any race and culture are welcome, and everyone lives in harmony. There is little to no racism, so everyone can find their place under the sun.

Honorable mentions

There are some things that are not big enough to become a separate category, but still very worth mentioning. The tech industry is growing in the Vancouver area, naming EA Sport as one of them. The crime rate in Vancouver is immensely low. Children’s hospitals are very well funded and as modern as they get. Vancouver is home to the University of British Columbia. Also, the British Columbia Institute of Technology.

Moving to Vancouver – Cons

Now that we’ve covered all the good stuff, we do owe it to fairness to mention a few less favorable aspects of Vancouver. These cons are not deal breakers, they are just minor inconveniences that might leave a bad taste in your mouth. However, it is nothing that you can’t get used to. By far.

The high cost of living

Vancouver is not really cheap. That goes for almost every aspect of life. This might be the absolutely worst con. On the upside, the standard is high meaning that you will be making good coin doing what you do. Especially if we take the option that you are moving to Vancouver for a job. This means that, when relocating for a job, it can’t be that poorly paid.

However, the cost of living isn’t low.

Still, the elements of life that are costly begin with a high cost of housing as well as renting. Either path you decide to take might end up being quite pricey. Luckily, when relocating you will have Oshawa movers by your side, overseeing everything and helping out with their extensive experience. However, do not be surprised by these costs.

Public transportation

The public transportation is just awful. It will be quite stressful to commute. Not bad enough to have people decide against moving to Vancouver, but still it is not pretty. You do have the Skytrain (the above ground metro), and whenever you can use it is it brilliant. The problem with Skytrain is the fact that it does not cover enough ground. So all the places that are not within the Skytrain network are going to be painful commutes. It is because of this that people vastly use cars in spite of the low public transportation costs.

When relocating to and within Vancouver, packers and movers in Toronto will be experienced enough to know the ins and outs, so you won’t face many issues there. But still, this is something to consider.